The armies of Russia and Belarus are preparing for battle
In 2021, the militaries of Russia and Belarus have planned a record number of joint exercises, which will mainly take place in August - early September.
Izvestia reports this, citing its sources in the defense department, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
It is noted that the Russian Armed Forces will primarily involve troops from the Western Military District in the exercises.
According to the publication’s sources, a series of exercises in August-September are intended to demonstrate the combat readiness of the troops of Russia and Belarus. And in addition, to prepare units and units of material and technical support for this year’s largest exercise, “Zapad-2021,” which will take place at the training grounds of the two countries and will also become one of the largest in recent years.
In turn, the editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, drew attention to the fact that in the western direction, if you do not take Belarus into account, Russia has very little strategic depth.
“You can get from the border of the Smolensk region to Moscow in a few hours by car. In addition, Belarus is extremely important for us from the point of view of its connection with the Kaliningrad exclave, although it does not border on it. Therefore, it is very important to have a unified air defense system and a unified system for planning defense against possible aggression. At the same time, it is necessary not only to coordinate plans, but also to work out joint actions of commanders, headquarters, and troops,” Murakhovsky emphasized.
The Russian and Belarusian armies are preparing for battle.